Burner construction and the like



27, 1968 c. D. BRANSON 3,399,024

BURNER CONSTRUCTION AND THE mm Filed Aug. 9, 1966 T 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l NVE N TOR CHARLES D. BRANSON HIS ATTORNEYS A g- 27, 96 c. D- BRANSON BURNER CONSTRUCTION AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 9, 1966 INVENTOR CHARLES D. BRANSON S R k k N R m 0 e s F mm G S are $5 SEE S a r R s L X & Q

ms ATTORNEYS,

United States Patent 3,399,024 BURNER CONSTRUCTION AND THE LIKE Charles David Branson, Greensburg, Pa., assignor to Robertshaw Controls Company, Richmond, Va., a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 9, 1966, Ser. No. 571,314 8 Claims. (Cl. 431-286) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This disclosure relates to a tubular burner construction having two opposed rows of port means passing through the opposed sides of the tubular structure in aligned relation. A venturi tube means has its Outlet end disposed in one end of the tubular burner construction intermediate the opposed ends of each row of port means and carries a U-shaped target-baffle means at the outlet end thereof so that at least part of the fuel air mixing in the venturi tube means will take place in the part of the tube means that is disposed in the tubular burner construction so that the overall size of the burner construction is relatively small.

This invention relates to an improved burner construction wherein the burner construction is relatively compact when compared with prior known burner constructions utilized in the same environment.

For example, it is well known that prior known burner constructions for cooking apparatus and the like, such as commercial short order griddle means are formed from a substantially H-shaped cast iron structure which is not only relatively large and relatively heavy, but also requires a relatively large fuel air mixing means to provide proper fuel air mixture for the port means of the prior known burner construction.

Because of the relatively large size of such prior known burner construction, a relatively large flow of fuel is required to maintain a minimum flame at the port means thereof whereby the temperature of the griddle means cannot be maintained at a relatively low temperature without adverse flask-back and flame Wipe off problems.

However, according to the teachings of this invention, an improved burner construction is provided wherein the burner construction is relatively compact and light in weight while still providing suflicient heating characteristics and additionally permitting a relatively low temperature setting without adverse flash-back and flame wipe off during a low temperature setting thereof as provided in the prior known cast iron burner construction.

In particular, the burner construction of this invention is so constructed and arranged that the venturi fuel air mixing tube thereof has a substantial length thereof completely disposed inside the burner construction so that fuel air mixing actually takes place inside the burner construction before the fuel air mixture is delivered to the internal chamber of the burner construction.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved burner construction having one or more of the novel features set forth above or hereinafter shown or described.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus utilizing such a burner construction or the like.

Other objects, uses and advantages of this invention are apparent from this description which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary, schematic perspective view of an improved apparatus of this invention.

3,399,024 Patented Aug. 27, 1968 FIGURE 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, perspective view of one end of the burner construction of the apparatus of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the burner construction of FIGURE 2 and is taken on line 44 thereof.

FIGURE 5 is a partially broken away side view of the burner construction of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 6 is a side view of the venturi tube means for the burner construction of FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 7 is an end view of the venturi tube means of FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 8 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 8-8 of FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 9 is a top perspective view of the air adjustment means of the venturi tube of FIGURE 6-.

While the various features of this invention are hereinafter described and illustrated as being particularly adapted for providing a burner construction for a cooking apparatus or the like, it is to be understood that the various features of this invention can be utilized singly or in any combination thereof to provide burner construction means for other types of apparatus as desired.

Therefore, this invention is not to be limited to only the embodiments illustrated in the drawings, because the drawings are merely utilized to illustrate one of the wide variety of uses of this invention.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, the improved apparatus of this invention is generally indicated by the reference numeral 10 and comprises a cooking apparatus having a cooking surface means 11 formed from a substantially large metal plate for use as a griddle means or the like.

The burner construction of this invention is generally indicated by the reference numeral 12 and is adapted to be supported below the cooking surface means 11 to heat the same, the burner construction 12 of this invention including a burner tube means 13 having two rows 14 and 15 of oppositely disposed and longitudinally arranged port means 16 through which a mixture of fuel and air issues to produce the flames 17 for heating the cooking surface means 11.

A source of fuel 18 is adapted to be directed to the burner tube 15 when a safety valve means 19 is opened, the safety valve means 19 having an outlet tube 20 telescopically received in a venturi tube means 21 of this invention in a manner hereinafter described and only interconnecting the source 18 to the outlet tube 20 when a pilot flame 22 exists at a pilot burner 23, the pilot flame 22 being adapted to ignite the fuel issuing from the port means 16 of the burner construction 13 in a manner well known in the art.

While the port means 16 in the burner tube 13 of this invention can be formed in any suitable manner and in any suitable configuration, the embodiments thereof illustrated in the drawings comprises a plurality of longitudinally arranged pairs of cooperaing ports 16 each having an inwardly bent tab means 24 angled relative to the longitudinal axis of the burner tube 13 so that the fu l issuing through the ports of a pair thereof converge together externally of the tube 13 to form a common stream disposed substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tube 13 to produce the flame pattern 17.

However, it is to be understood that the port means 16 could be formed of any desired configuration, the important feature being that the rows 14 and 15 of port means 16 can extend substantially throughout the entire length of the burner tube construction 13 so that the entire width or length of the cooking surface means 11 can be uniformly heated by the burner construction 12 of this invention and the overall length of the burner construction 12 need not exceed this width or length of the cooking surface means 11.

In order to provide flame propagation between the opposed rows 14 and 15 of port means 16, either the top half or the bottom half of the burner tube construction 13 can be provided with interconnecting port means 25 so that when the fuel issuing from the row 14 of port 16 is ignited by the pilot flame 22, flame propagation will occur at the ports 25 over to the row 15 of ports 16 for ignition thereof.

As illustrated in FIGURES 69, the venturi tube means 21 has an inlet end 26 and an outlet end 27, the inlet end 26 having a pair of oppositely arranged slots 28 and 29 passing therethrough and telescopically being received in a primary air adjustment member 30.

The primary air adjustment member 30 also has a pair of oppositely arranged slots 31 and 32 passing therethrough and adapted to be aligned with the slots 28 and 29 in the venturi tube 21 in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 8, the adjustment member 30 being rotatable relative to the venturi tube means 21 to vary the actual size of the cooperating portions of the slots 28, 31 and 29, 32. In particular, the adjustment member 30 has a slot 33 passing therethrough and receiving a threaded fastening member 34 interconnected to the venturi tube 21. whereby the adjustment member 33 can be rotated relative to the venturi tube 21 within the limits of the length of the slot 33.

The adjustment member 30 has an end Wall 35 interrupted by a centrally disposed aperture means 36 adapted to telescopically receive the outlet tube 20 of the valve means 19 so that fuel can pass from the valve means 19 into the interior of the venturi tube means 21, the flow of fuel into the venturi tube means 21 drawing primary air into the chamber of the venturi tube means 21 through the alignable portions of the slots 28, 31 and 29, 32 previously described whereby a fuel air mixing takes place in the venturi tube means 21 and can issue from the outlet end 27 thereof.

A substantially circular flange means 37 is carried by the venturi tube means 21 intermediate its ends 26 and 27 and is adapted to not only close off the inlet end 38 of the burner tube 13 in the manner illustrated in FIG- URE when the venturi tube means 21 is assembled thereto whereby it can be seen that the outlet end 27 of the venturi tube means 21 fully projects into the internal chamber 39 of the burner tube 13, but also the flange 37 mounts the venturi tube means 21 in cantilevered fashion inside the burner tube 13 so that the portion of the venturi tube means 21 inside the burner tube 13 is concentrically spaced therefrom for a purpose hereinafter described.

The venturi tube means 21 carries a substantially U- shaped baffle or target 40 at the outlet end 27 thereof and against which the issuing air fuel mixture impinges to cause the fuel air mixture entering the chamber 39 of the burner tube means 13 to substantially fill the entire chamber thereof so as to issue from the port means 16 in a substantially uniform manner to provide a uniform heating flame pattern 17 in the manner illustrated in FIG- URES 1 and 2.

Therefore, it can be seen that by locating the venturi tube means 21 with the majority of its length inside the burner tube 13 of this invention, the overall length of the burner construction 12 of this invention as illustrated in FIGURE 5 is relatively small because only a small part of the venturi tube means 21 projects from the end 38 of the burner tube 13 whereby a substantial amount of the air fuel mixing actually takes place inside the chamber 39 of the burner tube 13 before the fuel air mixture issues therein at the outlet end 27 of the venturi tube means 21. Because of this unique arrangement between the venturi tube means 21 and the burner tube 13, the ports 16 in the burner tube 13 to the right in FIGURE 5 of the outlet supplied fuel at a uniform rate so that the fiame pattern 17 can take place in a uniform manner substantially throughout the entire length of the burner tube 13.

Thus, if the outlet tube 20 of the valve means 19 is angularly disposed as illustrated in FIGURE 1, the entire width of the apparatus 10 utilizing the burner construction 13 of this invention can be substantially the same as the width of the cooking surface means 11 so that a relatively compact lightweight and inexpensive heating means can be provided therefor by the burner construction 12 of this invention. and the entire top surface of the cooking means 11 will be uniformly heated without cold spots therein.

The left-hand end of the burner tube 13 of the burner construction 12 can be closed by a suitable plate means 41 carrying bracket means 42 for mounting the end 43 of the burner tube 13 to the desired supporting structure of the apparatus 1.0 as desired.

Accordingly, it can be seen that this invention not only provides an improved burner construction having many novel features, but also this invention provides an improved apparatus having improved heating characteristics.

While the form of the invention now preferred has been disclosed as required by the statutes, other forms may be used, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:

1. A burner construction having tubular wall means provided with opposed ends to provide a tubular structure defining chamber means for receiving fuel from a source thereof, said wall means having two opposed rows of port means passing therethrough at opposed sides of said tubular wall means and in aligned relation between the opposed ends thereof for interconnecting said chamber means with the exterior surface of said wall means, and a venturi tube means having an inlet end and an outlet end, said venturi tube means having said outlet end thereof disposed in one opposed end of said chamber means intermediate the opposed ends of each row of port means and having said inlet end adapted to be interconnected to said source of fuel and a primary air source whereby at least part of the fuel-air mixing in said venturi tube means will take place in the part of said tube means that is disposed in said chamber means before said fuel-air mixture enters said chamber means from said outlet end of said tube means so that the overall size of said burner construction is relatively small, said outlet end of said venturi tube means carrying a U-shaped target-battle means having the legs thereof interconnected to said outlet end and against which said fuel air mixture will impinge, said legs of said target-battle means being in aligned relation with each other in a plane that is substantially perpendicular to a plane between said rows of port means.

2. A burner construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein said inlet end of said venturi tube means includes means for adjusting the amount of primary air drawnv therein.

3. A burner construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein other port means are provided through said wall means between said rows of port means to provide flame propagation means between said rows of port means.

4. A burner construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein said venturi tube means carries a transverse flange means intermediate said inlet and outlet ends thereof, said flange means being operatively interconnected to said one end of said tubular structure to not only close said one end of said tubular structure, but also to mount said outlet end and said inlet end of said venturi tube means in cantilevered fashion to said tubular structure.

5. In an apparatus having a heat source providing area and a source of fuel, the improvement comprising a burner construction for heating said area and having tubular wall means provided with opposed ends to provide a tubular structure defining interior chamber means for receiving fuel from said source, said wall means having two opposed rows of port means passing therethrough at opposed sides of said tubular wall means and in aligned relation between the opposed ends thereof for interconnecting said interior chamber means with the exterior surface of said wall means, and a venturi tube means having an inlet and an outlet end, said venturi tube means having said outlet end thereof disposed in one opposed end of said interior chamber means intermediate the opposed ends of each row of port means and having said inlet end operatively interconnected to said source of fuel and a primary air source whereby at least part of the fuel-air mixing in said venturi tube means takes place in the part of said tube means that is disposed in said interior chamber means before said fuel-air mixture enters said interior chamber means from said outlet end of said tube means so that the overall size of said burner construction is relatively small, said outlet end of said venturi tube means carrying a U-shaped target-baffle means having the legs thereof interconnected to said outlet end and against which said fuel-air mixture will impinge, said legs of said target-bafile means being in aligned relation with each other in a plane that is substantially perpendicular to a plane between said rows of port means.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said inlet end of said venturi tube means includes means for adjusting the amount of primary air drawn therein.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein other portmeans are provided through said wall means between said rows of port means to provide flame propagation means between said rows of port means.

8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said venturi tube means carries a transverse flange means intermediate said inlet and outlet ends thereof, said flange means being operatively interconnected to said one end of said tubular structure to not only close said one end of said tubular structure, but also to mount said outlet end and said inlet end of said venturi tube means in cantilevered fashion to said tubular structure.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 832,879 10/1906 Roy.

873,485 12/1907 Ball 158-116 X 1,901,716 3/1933 Antrim 158-116 1,916,572 7/1933 Hellman 158-114 2,304,140 12/ 1942 Bergholm.

2,728,384 12/1955 Anderson 158-115 3,270,967 9/1966 Wcsterman et al 239560 FOREIGN PATENTS 594,645 3/1960 Canada. 1,188,920 3/1959 France. 546,068 7/1966 Italy.

FREDERICK L. MATTESON, JR., Primary Examiner.

H. B. RAMEY, Assistant Examiner. 

